


Cleaning House

by dramatic owl (snarky_panda)



Category: Hey Arnold!
Genre: Episode Tag, Female Friendship, Gen, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-01-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:48:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22314307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snarky_panda/pseuds/dramatic%20owl
Summary: Episode tag for 'Pre-Teen Scream'. Helga assures Phoebe that she doesn't have to throw all of her Ronnie Matthews stuff out if she doesn't want to.
Kudos: 9
Collections: Ladies Bingo 2019





	Cleaning House

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the ladiesbingo challenge on dreamwidth for the prompt: Episode Tags and Missing Scenes

"Man, you really collected a lot of this guy's paraphernalia."

It had been a long evening and Phoebe was still sorting through complicated feelings of anger and disappointment and heartbreak, though she did feel a little better having had it out with Helga. She glanced over at her friend, but there was no derision in her face, no sneer anymore. They'd argued and made up and Helga had consoled her. Her friend was just making a comment while she sifted through the posters and photos of various sizes that Phoebe had decided to get rid of and handed them off to her.

Phoebe chucked them in the trash with a flourish.

"You sure you want to get rid of it all?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I don't need to look at photos of him anymore. It's not like any of this stuff is autographed."

"Too bad. You could've held onto the autographed stuff until it was worth something someday."

"Face down at the back of a drawer."

They both laughed.

Phoebe had been over the moon when she won the essay contest and a chance to see Ronnie Matthews perform, to meet him backstage afterward and spend an evening on the town with him. She'd convinced Helga to go with her, even though Helga had no interest at all and had been making fun of her and everyone else for being stupid enough to go gaga over him. It didn't even take an hour in his company for her to realize he was nothing more than a pretty face. He couldn't even get her name right. And she'd been livid at Helga for suddenly liking him and thinking he was great just because he fooled everyone so well.

All of the music and lyrics she loved had been written by musicians and writers who worked for Ronnie Matthews, not him. He didn't even actually play an instrument or sing, he lip-synched and fake-played the guitar. And did some moves onstage. She still felt stupid for being fooled, but she knew Helga was right. Anyone could be fooled by a pretty face.

And there was something to the adage that you shouldn't meet your idols, trite as it was.

Once they'd disposed of the posters and photos Helga followed her across the room to where she stored her CDs. Phoebe's collection of music was eclectic, as Helga often remarked. Lots of albums by various rock and pop artists, including every album Ronnie Matthews ever recorded, but she also had recordings of traditional Japanese music, jazz, country western, and numerous albums of classical cello music featuring several different cellists.

Phoebe combed through the spines of all the Ronnie Matthew CDs, pulled each CD case off the shelf one by one, turned them over in her hands and examined the designs and lists of songs on the jackets, placed them back on the shelf.

"You're right. He was dorky," Phoebe said, staring down at the CD case currently in her hands. This was the latest album, featuring 'I Saw Your Face'. "I know he didn't write any of the lyrics to any of the songs. Or the music. But these lyrics really spoke to me. And I liked the tunes."

"Then keep the CDs." Helga placed a supportive hand on her shoulder. "Just because he turned out to be a jerk doesn't mean you have to get rid of everything of his. You can still enjoy listening to the songs."

"I guess. And even if I do get rid of it, it doesn't have to be tonight."

"Exactly."

"Maybe I can sell them eventually, too, instead of just tossing them."

Helga nodded agreement. "You might as well make a couple of bucks back if you can."

"Thanks for helping me clean up."

"Glad to help, Pheebs."


End file.
